Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory

Head: Barbara Messner, Assoc. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Mag. PhD

Focus

The work group around Barbara Messner seeks to understand and – based on this understanding – prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. The approach chosen is a multi-disciplinary and application-oriented research strategy. The team seeks to establish and strengthen a network to achieve its research goals. Cooperations with analytical and synthetic chemistry groups, pharmacological groups, bio-medical research laboratories, and in vivo analyses are central to most projects.

The know-how and methods of the team range from molecular biology, via cell biology, animal experimentation and histological analyses to human studies.

1. Natural compounds for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases

The group has in the past – together with cooperation partners – isolated and analysed several plant constituents for their potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Leoligin, the major lignan isolated from the roots of Edelweiss, is currently the most promising agent, and currently intensively analysed by the team. Leoligin showed an impressive activity in inhibiting bypass graft intimal hyperplasia, increasing the durability of bypass grafts, and Leoligin was shown to beneficially affect the lipid status in humans.It is estimated that in ~ 2 years the team will start with the first human trials with this compound The group is further working on compounds for the treatment of myocardial infarction. The goal is to define compounds that stimulate angiogenesis, and protect cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced damage.

2. Environmental risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

Originating from our previous findings that particularly metals in cigarette smoke are a central noxa for tobacco-induced diseases, the team has in the last years focussed on metal ions as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Several elements have been studied, and cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were found to constitute such “environmental risk factors” for CVDs. These two elements were studied intensively in the past for their role in vascular diseases. The team was able to define the pathophysiology (signalling pathway) as well as the “real life” relevance of those risk factors in human studies.Currently, the focus is shifting to the relevance of those elements in non-vascular, cardiac diseases.

3. The Pathophysiology of thoracic aortic aneurysm

The thoracic aortic aneurysm is a life threatening state. However, the pathophysiology of aneurysm formation is still hardly understood. The team has chosen a novel and cell-based approach to reveal cellular events that lead to aneurysm formation. The ultimate goal is to define central steps in the course of aneurysm formation, to be able to infere with these processes to decelerate or heal the disease.

4. Tissue Engineering

The tissue engineering approach strategy of the team around David Bernhard is split into two parts. One aspect is the modification of xenogenic biological tissue to reduce immunogenicity and thrombogenicity to extend the pool of potential grafts for human recipients. The second approach is based on the generation of artificial , mainly vascular, grafts by a photopolymerization-based approach as well as by electrospinning. The generated grafts are planned to be bio-degradable and drug eluting. Particularly the concept of drug eluting grafts and implants is a novel and promising approach. The drugs used stem from focus Nr. 1.